Belarus-Russia: Switzerland calls for ‘urgent measures’ to reduce nuclear risks
A Yars intercontinental ballistic missile being test-fired as part of Russia's nuclear drills from a launch site in Plesetsk, northwest Russia on October 26, 2022.
Russian Defense Ministry Press Service
Russia has announced plans to station tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, escalating a standoff with the West. Switzerland says urgent measures must be taken to reduce any risks linked to the weapons.
This content was published on
2 minutes
Keystone-SDA/EDA/sb
Português
pt
Suíça pede “medidas urgentes” para reduzir riscos nucleares
“A nuclear war can never be won and must never be waged,” tweetedExternal link Nicolas Bideau, head of communications at the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA), on Sunday.
“Switzerland is calling for urgent measures to reduce any risk relating to such weapons.”
NATO has criticised Vladimir Putin for “dangerous” nuclear rhetoric after the Russian president announced the plans on Saturday.
“Russia’s nuclear rhetoric is dangerous and irresponsible,” NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu said on Sunday.
“NATO is vigilant, and we are closely monitoring the situation. We have not seen any changes in Russia’s nuclear posture that would lead us to adjust our own.”
Putin compared his Belarus plan on Saturday to the United States stationing its weapons in Europe, insisting that Russia would not violate its nuclear non-proliferation promises.
Ukraine’s security chief, Oleksiy Danilov, said Russia’s plan would destabilise Belarus, which he said had been taken “hostage” by Moscow.
Others condemning Putin’s plan included Lithuania, which said it would call for new sanctions against Moscow and Minsk, while European Union policy chief Josep Borrell urged Belarus not to host the weapons and threatened more sanctions.
The Geneva-based International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN) said Russia’s plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus represent an “extremely dangerous escalation”.
This increases the likelihood that such weapons will be used, the Nobel Prize-winning organisation said on SaturdayExternal link. In the context of the Ukraine war, it “complicates decision making and increases the risk of miscalculation, miscommunication and potentially catastrophic accidents”.
Popular Stories
More
Life & Aging
Switzerland no longer wants to foot the bill for ‘suicide tourism’
As a Swiss Abroad, how do you feel about the emergence of more conservative family policies in some US states?
In recent years several US states have adopted more conservative policies on family issues, abortion and education. As a Swiss citizen living there, how do you view this development?
Swiss federal office sees no reason to end deportations of asylum-seekers to Croatia
This content was published on
Switzerland's State Secretariat for Migration (SEM) continues to deport asylum-seekers to Croatia. It thus rejects a demand from the Swiss Refugee Council in mid-February, which called for a halt to the returns.
ChatGPT responds to negative emotions and therapy, research shows
This content was published on
Stressful information can also cause anxiety in artificial intelligence (AI). As scientists in Zurich have shown, it's even possible to calm the GPT-4 AI model with mindfulness exercises.
Mortgage benchmark fall paves way for potential rent cuts in Switzerland
This content was published on
Switzerland’s national benchmark for mortgage costs dropped to the level it had before the global inflation surge, paving the way for potential rent reductions.
Switzerland ‘deeply concerned’ by Trump’s death penalty order
This content was published on
Switzerland has told the UN Human Rights Council that it is "deeply concerned" by US President Donald Trump's recent executive order to strengthen capital punishment at federal and state level.
Blatter, Platini return to court for new fraud trial over CHF2 million FIFA payment
This content was published on
Former FIFA President Sepp Blatter and former UEFA President Michel Platini appeared in court in Switzerland on Monday accused of fraud - 2.5 years after they were cleared.
Israel criticises Swiss decision to host Middle East conference in Geneva on Friday
This content was published on
Israel has condemned Switzerland for planning to host a meeting on international humanitarian law in the Middle East next Friday in Geneva.
Centre Party’s Franziska Biner elected to Valais government
This content was published on
Voters in canton Valais in southern Switzerland elected Franziska Biner to the cantonal government in the first round of voting, beating off more established politicians.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Russian nuclear arms in Belarus a ‘dangerous escalation’, says Geneva NGO group
This content was published on
Russia’s plans to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are an “extremely dangerous escalation”, says the Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN).
This content was published on
Russia has hinted nuclear weapons could be used again. In this podcast episode, Inside Geneva host Imogen Foulkes asks experts how big the threat is.
Switzerland urged to officially renounce nuclear weapons
This content was published on
Political and humanitarian actors have called on Switzerland to sign the United Nations Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons.
This content was published on
Nuclear weapons have evolved a lot since the Second World War. Today, a nuclear conflict would have devastating effects, not only for Ukraine.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.